His Stage

Hitoshi frowned as Present Mic's voice echoed inside the preparation room.

The sports games had just finished and the field was being reconstructed to accommodate the one on one fights. Hitoshi skipped the festivities to focus himself on the next hurdle ahead of him. He needed to take this round with a clear mind, but Hitoshi couldn't. Regardless of how much he tried.

He couldn't calm down when he knew his opponent was Izuku Midoriya.

Hitoshi understood that winning against him was close to impossible; not with the obvious difference in their skills. Midoriya's quirk was super strength and agility. It would be a miracle for his brainwashing quirk to do anything against it. It also didn't help that Ojiro had already warned Midoriya about his quirk.

His quirk's strength lay in the anonymity of it. It was his trump card against the more powerful hero kids. Ojiro had taken that from his and thus lessened the possibility of Midoriya responding to him. He would still try to get him to talk, but it wouldn't be easy.

Midoriya's quirk to powerful to fight head on, so he would have to eliminate it the first chance he gets. He knew Midoriya wouldn't risk using his quirk. It was too dangerous, and the drawbacks was too much for him. If Midoriya were to succeed to the next rounds, he would have to save his bone breaking quirk for someone more powerful.

However, in the unlikely event that Midoriya does chose to, then Hitoshi would lose. That being said, Hitpshi had to make sure, Midoriya never uses his quirk. To do that, all he had to do was make him talk.

If he read Midoriya right, he was too good a person to let anyone shit talk his friends. He may opt not to say anything to him, but eventually, strong willed people talk. Once they do, there's no breaking free of his control.

Hitoshi could almost taste the victory in his lips, but refused to relish in it. Fate has always laughed at his perseverance; he didn't think that would change anytime soon. The match-up up in itself was fate intervening with his dreams again.

It didn't matter though. He would triumph over whatever fate threw at him. He was done being defeated by it and feeling sorry for himself. He would control his own fate and subdue andy and all that stood in his way.

Midoriya would be a challenge, but he was not a hero. Not yet. None of them were. They were all students with something to prove, and they were bound to make mistakes. A single mistake is all Hitoshi needed.

A knock from the door cut Hitoshi's fervent thoughts short.

Fumei entered the room without warning and leaned on the table Hitoshi was seated on. "I got you some juice," he said while he dangled the juice can over Hitoshi's head. "Thought you might cool down a bit before the big fight. You didn't eat a lot over lunch either."

Hitoshi ignored the can and avoided Fumei's eyes. He was a little too close for comfort. "How are we feeling about Midoriya?"

"Peachy."

"Peachy?"

"You warned me about him, and now I'm up against him first, so yeah, peachy," Hitoshi said with a shrug. "What else do you want from me?"

Fumei raised his hands, silently telling him to calm down, and said, "It's scary I know, but we have no choice here."

Hitoshi scoffed. "I have no choice. You get to watch my ass kicked in the stands."

"Let's not hope for that," Fumei said as he squeezed Hitoshi's shoulder. "Belief goes a long way. I just want you to know that no matter what, I'm with you till the end."

Hitoshi glanced at the hand on his shoulder and frowned. While the thought was comforting, he can't help but feel as though Fumei's words were a foreboding that he would lose. Hitoshi stilled. He didn't know what he would do if he failed.

This was his last chance to prove himself, if he messed it up then it's all over. No hero would willingly recommend him for a promotion to the hero course if he lost. Heroes weren't supposed to lose. Hitoshi curled his hands into a fist, and let out a shaky breath.

"Thi –" he stuttered, "This is my chance. My only chance. I can't mess this up. If I don't win then I –" he stopped himself before the cloud of doubt can be said.

Hitoshi knew that the moment he said it, then the fear would become real. There was no coming back from that endless hole of disappointment and anguish. If he said it out loud, then the years of resentment, both for himself and heroes, would spill out without control. The moment he does would be the moment he recognizes the truth he'd been avoiding for so long.

He would never be enough as a hero. Regardless of what he did.

Saying that aloud, accepting it, meant that he's ready to lose and give it all up. Hitoshi wasn't. Not yet, nor ever.

"I'm going to beat Midoriya and move on to the next round. Just you watch me. I'll beat you next."

Fumei grinned. "I'm looking forward to that."

"So, why are you really here?" Hitoshi asked. This visit, while much appreciated, was not one he expected. "That wasn't exactly a motivational talk."

"Guilty," the blond raised his hands in defeat. "I'm here as quality control. Just in case you go off rails about the plan."

"Plan?" he echoed, "What plan?"

The door clicked open again, and Nusumi, Tatsumaki, and Okami fell forward inside the room. Hitoshi stared at them wildly, confused and angry at their sudden intrusion. "What are you -?"

Nusumi managed to pull herself out of the mess first, and announced herself with a triumphant grin, "Lady luck has arrived to bestow you grace!"

Hitoshi frowned. "Explain, now."

"Nusumi unlocked a new skill," Tatsumaki said while he dusted himself. "She can make other people lucky now."

Hitoshi turned to Fumei, hoping he would elaborate more; and the latter said, "We're here to offer some luck and I know I said to belief goes a long way, but a little wishful thinking also never hurt anyone."

Hitoshi's eyes twitched. They were here to help him win, by cheating. Of course. "No."

"Hello! Earth to Shinsou," Okami cried. "Midoriya is going to smash you like a bug out there!"

"You're up against the strongest participant in the competition in the first round!" Tatsumaki said. "You won't stand a chance."

Hitoshi snarled, and pushed them all out of his way. If they truly believed in him, then they wouldn't be here in the first place. "Whatever the odds are, I won't cheat to win." Hitoshi then turned to Fumei and said, "You should know my answer to this already."

"I do. I told you I'm quality control, just hear them –"

Hitoshi raised his hand to stop him then turned to Nusumi. "And you, how can you be so selfish as to force me into using your quirk to win."

"I'm not doing this to be selfish!" Nusumi yelled. "I'm doing this to help you!"

"Help me?" Hitoshi chided. Since when had Nusumi cared about anyone else other than herself? "What about this is considered helping?"

"I –"

Hitoshi sighed. There were only three minutes left before the match. He needed to be calm and level-headed, not irritated. "Look. I appreciate the help, but I have to do this on my own. If I go up there knowing I didn't win because of my power, then I don't deserve to win."

"But Shinsou –" Tatsumaki tried to argue, but Hitoshi dismissed him.

"No, and that's final."

Hitoshi pushed past them and stomped his way towards the tunnels that led to the stadium. He slowed to a jog as he neared the exit. Did no one really believe in what he could do on his own? Was he really that weak that people needed to take care of him to win?

He shook his head. Even if it were true, none of that mattered right now. He needed to focus on Midoriya and the fight. After a while, he heard footsteps coming from behind, and Hitoshi sighed. "I already told you –"

"Win or lose," Fumei interrupted him. "I'm not going to let you end it here."

Hitoshi paused, more baffled than angry now.

"I know that what we did back there would make you angry," the blonde confessed. "But Nusumi's new ability was a blessing that I couldn't let pass. You're the biggest chance we have to make the general department mean something." He looked to the side, anxious, and sighed. "You already know how I feel about Midoriya, and I told you that he's -"

Fumei paused, and looked him in the eye. Hitoshi stepped back, a little terrified by the intensity in the other's eyes. It had that same breath of faith Fumei had on him during the apprehension test; the belief in his potential, his perseverance, and his power.

"I really want you to win this, Shinsou."

Hitoshi turned to his heel to hide a small smile on his lips. "Then be here," he said. "Win or lose."

"Always."

"YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH HELL TO GET HERE!" Present Mic screamed. "AND NOW YOU'VE ONLY GOT YOURSELF TO RELY ON!"

"NOW, THE FIRST MATCH! ENTERING FROM THE RIGHT, IS OUR SURPRISE TOP ONE CONTESTANT, USING HIS BRAIN EVEN THOUGH HE HAD BRAWN TO WIN - IZUKU MIDORIYA!"

Midoriya walked out with a weird expression on his face. It was like he was nervous about something, yet determined to prove himself either way.

Hitoshi can't tell if he should be flattered with that fact that Midoriya was nervous to fight against him.

"ON THE LEFT, OUR SURPRISE CONTENDER FROM THE GENERAL DEPARTMENT, HITOSHI SHINSOU!" Present Mic roared, and Hitoshi walked straight and narrow. He kept his attention on Midoriya, sizing him up before the match.

High above the stands, Hitoshi heard his class erupt in loud rambunctious cheer. He tried to ignore them, but Tatsumaki and Nagai were making too much noise to be left alone.

Present Mic ran down the rules for them, and all the succeeding matches to follow. As he did, Hitoshi can't help but notice similarities between their sparring rules and the tournament rules. All they had to do was incapacitate their opponents within the ring, or push them out.

It felt a little too simple, especially after Fumei made various restrictions with just those two rules to make each match different. Still, Hitoshi couldn't ask for a better blessing.

He knew the basics like the back of his hand, the only unknown would be Midoriya.

"A true hero's fists fly when in pursuit of villains!" Present Mic exclaimed..

The hero class will be merciless enough to win. Why shouldn't you?

"I give up, huh?" he started before Cementoss could begin their match.

Midoriya jumped.

"Get it, Izuku Midoriya? This battle's going to test your strength of will and spirit. If you know what you want for your future, then you can't worry about appearances," he warned. "There's no point worrying about how you get there."

Midoriya was born with a quirk that wasn't bound by society's expectations. His potential had been limitless since the very beginning, meanwhile Hitoshi could only reach so far. He was finite.

There was no way Midoriya could understand any of it.

First rule, Break them.

"Like that monkey, babblingabout his stupid pride," he snarled. "Who is he trying to trick? You hero kids are all over your heads."

Midoriya's face scrunched in offence, and Hitoshi smirked.

"READY! STAAAAAAAART!"

"What kind of dumb ass throws away a chance like this?"

Midoriya took the bait and stepped forward. He looked ready to fight. "WHAT'D YOU SAY?!"

Hitoshi smirked as the taste of victory washed over him like a cold comforting wave. The hero's body suddenly stopped and Hitoshi relished at the blank eyes staring at him. Midoriya was his to control. He's won.

"HEY, HEY!" Present Mic panicked. "MERE SECONDS INTO THE MATCH, MIDORIYA HAS FROZEN IN PLACE? COULD – COULD THIS BE SHINSOU'S QUIRK?!"

Hitoshi ignored the commentary and focused on Midoriya instead. The logical part of his brain screamed for him to end the match and avoid a mistake. The other part, the one he'd buried and was angry, wanted to cherish this moment for longer.

In front of him stood a person blessed with a powerful quirk, something he'd wished for for so long but couldn't have. In front of him stood someone that represented everything he hated about hero society. Someone strong, now completely utterly helpless under his weak quirk.

There was something cathartic about sharing this stage with Midoriya. Hitoshi had nothing against him, but years of bottled up bitterness and resentment just rushed forth. The floodgates opened, and he couldn't stop it.

Hitoshi didn't want to stop it.

"It must be so nice to have everything handed to you," he said. "I had to get here with only myself to rely on. Even with everyone's support..." He thought back to Nusumi and other's barging into the waiting room just to cheer him on, and in their own weird way, cheer him up. He would never accept what they offered, and it hurt him that they thought he needed the luck to win, but none of the mattered.

"All that really matters in the end is your own strength." Hitoshi clenched his fist. "Turn around and walk out of the ring."

Midoriya obeyed him without question and mechanically walked towards the edge. The crowd shouted, trying to snap him out of whatever trance he's on. Hitoshi heard it, somewhere in the sea of noise, that they saw his actions as unfair, unjust; something a villain would do.

He ignored them.

"You probably wouldn't think so but," he mumbled, "this quirk of mine is like a dream. You lose."

Then all of a sudden, as though Midoriya heard him, a strong blast of wind bursts from Midoriya's left.

"WH- WHAT IS THIS?! MIDORIYA STOPPED!?"

Hitoshi glowered. How the hell did he break out?!

He poked around Midoriya's mind, searching for even the smallest sliver of control he had on his consciousness and found nothing. Midoriya completely threw him out. "How…?" he faltered. "You shouldn't have control…What did you do?!"

Midoriya slapped a hand on his mouth before he could say anything. His other arm dangled limply on the side with one broken, swollen finger.

Hitoshi shook in anger. He broke free by breaking his finger?

Midoriya glared up at him as he approached. Hitoshi's breath hitched as the intensity in the other's eyes was enough to terrify him. He's going to lose.

Why did he even think this time would be any different this time? Because he had the support of so called friends? Because some asshole had faith in him? Because he finally found that sliver of hope to believe in himself?

He's always been a fool, a dumb wannabee, a villain that was too self-centered to realize that he's never been one of them. No one saw his as a hero, so why did he keep saying otherwise? He was a villain in the eyes of his peers, and an even greater asshole for making the match so one-sided against a hero student.

However, Hitoshi's heart still yearned to be a hero. "You know," he hissed through a pained smile. "I'm jealous of you… Just moving that finger must mean you're the real deal."

Midoriya's eyes twitched, and he looked at Hitoshi with a very familiar expression on his face. Empathy.

Hitoshi growled. He didn't need a hero to feel sorry for him. It's worse than being called a villain straight to his face.

"Thanks to my quirk, I couldn't do anything!" he practically screamed as he stepped back in response to Midoriya's advance. "You wouldn't get that," he said. "None of you can. There's no gateway to success here for me. Not with this quirk! Someone blessed as you would never understand!"

Midoriya frowned. He did understand.

Hitoshi clenched his teeth, livid. "YOU PEOPLE –! BORN WITH AWESOME QUIRKS – GETTING TO FOLLOW ALLYOUR DREAMS! WHY COULDN'T I BE ONE OF YOU?!"

Hitoshi braced himself when Midoriya grabbed his shoulder and pushed against his chest. Midoriya's eyes shone with similar conviction as his own. Someone, with something to prove. It pissed Hitoshi off that Midoriya's desperation reminded him of his own. It shouldn't.

Midoriya had it better than he ever could.

He clocked Midoriya hard on the jaw and screamed, "SAY SOMETHING ALREADY!"

A loud crack resonated between them when the punch hit. Midoriya grunted but wasn't fazed.

"Trying to push me out?" he sneered. "Not going to happen!" Hitoshi shoved his knee up at Midoriya's diaphragm and quickly grabbed the hero's face. He shoved him to the ground, and the crowd roared.

Hitoshi straddled him and tried to pin his arms and legs on the ground. "I need this far more than you!" he screamed. He wasn't going to win this fight. He needed Midoriya to answer back, grunt, anything. Midroiya bit his tongue as he struggled against Hitoshi's arms, and shoved an arm at the other's face.

Hitoshi yelped as he was thrown over Midoriya's body and landed on his back. He quickly spun to his knees and tackled Midoriya down before he could stand.

"AND SHINSOU REFUSES TO GO DOWN!" Present Mic hollered.

The crowd roars, and Midoriya stands in shock of his quick thinking. Second rule, make them desperate.

Midoriya tried to crawl out of his grip, but Hitoshi didn't let him. He looped an arm around Midoriya's own and bent it in an unnatural angle. Midoriya yelled and tried to wriggle out of Hitoshi's grip.

Hitoshi knew Midoriya was stronger than him; both in quirk and physical strength, but Hitoshi wasn't powerless. He had his quirk and his strength, and he was going to win using it. Their standstill forced Midnight to start counting down in Hitoshi's favor; and very desperately, Midoriya shifted his weight to the left.

Hitoshi couldn't react fast enough and got caught in the momentum. They rolled around on the floor, trying to best the other until Hitoshi kicked off Midoriya.

Midoriya quickly picked himself up, while Hitoshi was forced to run away.

Third rule, don't overestimate yourself.

He needed space to recover. If Midoriya got too close, it would be over.

Midoriya moved in with another shoulder throw and Hitoshi inched left to dodge. Midoriya went low and caught Hitoshi by the waist, keeping him grounded and unable to run away. Hitoshi slammed his fist repeatedly on Midoriya's head to let him go, but Midoriya held on.

Midoriya swiped Hitoshi's leg and carried the latter's entire weight over his head as he fell. Hitoshi's back slammed onto the ground, and the crowd went off in a loud cheer.

"IZUKU MIDORIYA MOVES ON TO THE SECOND ROUND!"

The stage applauded them both, but Hitoshi felt as though it was only meant for one of them. He pushed himself to sit and was suddenly faced with Midoriya's outstretched hand. Hitoshi glared, and pushed it away. He couldn't accept his defeat just yet.

He ignored Midoriya and silently walked back to his side of the field.

"You can brainwash people Shinsou?! That's so cool!"

"I'm sooo jealous."

"You could do all sorts of trouble with that quirk and not get in trouble."

"Just don't try controlling us okay?!"

He will never understand… Hitoshi thought. He's just too gifted, while I'm condemned to be nothing.

"Shinsou…" Midoriya began, as the stadium continued to applaud their short-lived fight. "Why do you want to be a hero?"

Hitoshi frowned. "You can't help what your heart longs for..."

Midoriya didn't respond and that was fine. Hitoshi didn't know if he wanted him to say anything else. His silence was enough. He lost. Midoriya didn't need to apologize for being the stronger fighter.

"You were awesome out there, Shinsou!"

Hitoshi looked up and caught his class very eagerly waving at him from the audience stand.

"You almost got him!" Makito, their class optimist and resident bundle of social anxieties, cheered with a large smile.

"You really tried to knock him off his feet didn't ya!" Okami's puns oozed from her compliment. "Almost turned the fight on him! Don't worry, we'll take them all down next time!"

"You had us on the edge of our seats, man," Tatsumaki grinned.

"Our shining star!" Nusumi jumped. "The strongest general student around! And he's in our class!" She turned to the other classes and shouted, "BEAT THAT YOU FUC–"

Tenmei quickly covered her mouth as more words of praise showered him. Among their clamor, Hitoshi heard the heroes talk about his quirk with awe. They whispered about the potential his quirk held, and wondered how someone of his skill was in general studies.

Heroes, Hitoshi's eyes watered at the recognition he'd been searching for all those years.

"Hear that, Shinsou," Koharu said. "You're awesome."

Hitoshi lowered his head to avoid shedding tears on live television. He had to keep his mask on. "They'll transfer students to the hero course depending on the results here," he managed to say. Midoriya paused and looked over his shoulder. "I failed this time, but... I'm not giving up. I'll show them I've got what it takes to make the hero course, and I'll become a greater hero than all of you."

"Right." Midoriya earnestly agreed.

Hitoshi took a page from Nusumi and selfishly controlled Midoriya again; as a fun way of getting back at him. He warned Midoriya to mind his words against him next time in case he wanted to be brainwashed again, and the hero, naively nodded and agreed out loud.

Hitoshi chuckled when his quirk washed over Midoriya again. He was an idiot, but a good one.

When he finally escaped the prying eyes of the public, Hitoshi leaned on the wall for support. He couldn't force himself to stand anymore. He lost the fight, he realized that was alright, but it still hurt. He had gotten so close, yet he couldn't win it.

He bit his lip and wiped away the tears. He shouldn't cry about it. This was a victory, not a loss. He'll grow stronger, and he'll do it with new found resolve. Hitoshi picked himself up and made his way back to the waiting room, and was surprised to see Fumei still standing there.

The blond had that look on him that said it all. He didn't watch the fight but he knew. Hitoshi scoffed at it, but Fumei smiled. He reached out a hand, as though offering to help him pick up the pieces. He was going to help him become even stronger.

"I'm here."

Hitoshi took Fumei's hand and was pulled into a tight hug. It sucked how Fumei was a lot smaller than him, but the embrace was enough to comfort him.

This stage was not meant for him, but it will be, soon.

A/N: Honestly this chapter took only this long to write because I got distracted by Persona 5 and other writing endeavors. I also got a job, which took up time and gave me anxiety. A regular day at being a working adult amirite? ANYWAY, this chapter was the hardest to write because I had to follow some very canon beats. However it was fun to write from Shinsou's POV rather than Midoriya's. I did not want to make him more angsty than he already is. Guess I failed at that bc writing this broke me. Anywho, don't forget to leave a review (any criticism is welcome too or fangasming, that's also okay) or favorite/follow to be notified when I drop a new chapter!

Will also try to finish a seating chart for 1-C so dear readers can track who's who by next chapter, so look forward to that! Sushi - OUT!